Summer's End
by Jet556
Summary: The Cats call it Sigruplaw Night, the Lizards call it the Night of Goblins and the Evabon call it Summer's End. It is the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. A time for bonfires, guising and feasting! It last two days, from sunset of the first day to sunset of the second. It is a time that creatures beyond imagination roam the Wilderness and even venture forth.
1. A Cry

**Welcome everyone. Before we get into Donalbain and Pumyra's story arc, I thought a breather story was in order. Enjoy and review.**

 **A Cry**

A cry in the darkness… What caused it? Who caused it? Those were questions that ran through the heads of those who heard it. To those who lived near the Wilderness, this caused fear. Summer's End was here. For the Evabon this was something else entirely. For them it was the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It would be celebrated with bonfires, guising and feasting. It lasted two days going from sunset of the first day to sunset of the second day. To other races Summer's End was known as Sigruplaw Night but to the Evabon it was Summer's End.

Holding a lamp made out of a root vegetable, Balor stood just outside of Wilusa staring into the wilderness. He had heard the cry and wondered what it was.

"Balor!" Balor turned in a shock to see Gard walking towards him. Gard knelt down and looked Balor in the eye. "Don't go into the Wilderness during Summer's End."

"Why not?" asked Balor. "What is in there during Summer's End."

"Things that you can scarcely imagine. Dalv has spoken of creatures never seen before: the hippocamp, the bunyip, the hydros 'neath the ruby tree. Those are different, those are not things beyond imagination." Gard then handed Balor a black mask that covered the upper part of the face. "Here. Wear it. Be a child but if I hear of any mischief from you, I'll have you cleaning our hall's table every day for a month!"

Balor took the mask and placed it upon his face, the string holding it across the back of his head being the same shade of black as his hair. "Alright, I'll stay out of trouble. How do I look?"

Gard smiled as he brought a hand to his chin. "Like myself when I was very young. I thought that kind of a mask would be better than the kind Brigid has with that stick attached to it so she has to hold it up to her face instead of just wearing it."

"I like this better than the masks that go over your entire head." Commented Balor. "Like the ones in the shapes of beast and monster heads. Brigid's mask with the stick instead of the string… That's a girl's mask! Girls must tire less than boys if they can hold those masks to their faces for so long."

"Girls tire no more or less than boys do, Balor." Said Gard. "Having been father to both son and daughter I've noticed this very well and as one of my descendants you are another of my sons. Thus like a father, I tell you to stay out of trouble and out of the wilderness until after Summer's End."


	2. Stealer of Brood

**Welcome back everyone. I didn't give a detailed appearance for the Stealer of Brood for a reason. The less detailed her appearance the more frightening she is. Your imagination adds more detail. Enjoy and review.**

 **Stealer of Brood**

An anthropoid-like animal that walked on two feet and stood at a height of seven feet walked out of the wilderness. Weighing at eight hundred pounds, the hair covered thewy animal was surprisingly fleet as it started to run with a loping comportment and a long pace.

The Barbaric Gentlewoman of the Wilderness, Stealer of Brood, whatever she was called, it was something that brought fear. She was someone who stole children.

She only came out on Summer's End. She came out to steal children. The laughter of children, the crying of children, the singing of children, she heard it all. She did not steal them out of any maternal instinct, she was something sinister, she was a bogeyman of Third Earth and one that was not out year round thankfully but she came out nonetheless.

Hearing the laughter of little girls, the Barbaric Gentlewoman followed it. Running towards the sound. She found a group of little girls and caught a little girl of eight years dressed in green.

The laughter turned to screams and soon the Stealer of Brood was once more running but this time to the Wilderness. She had stolen a child and there would be more to steal. For a thousand times a thousand years she had stolen children and none had ever caught her. None had ever stopped her.

There were others in the Wilderness that roamed during Summer's End. If people were to come after her, her trail would lead them to those others.

The girl that had been stolen had been Brigid. Her mask had been dropped and so when Balor had been found, he could only stand there holding her mask in his hands with wide eyes.

Standing there with him, Ekoto placed a hand on Balor's shoulder. "We should go get Gard, Zuvowang and Dalv." He said. Kashta, Chinggis, Horemheb and Guyoos were there as well. They all stared at Ekoto and Balor.

"No, we are going into the Wilderness to rescue Brigid!" stated Balor. "I am arranged to marriage Brigid when we are older and I have to prove I can protect her!"

"We are all just kids!" objected Kashta. "What are we supposed to do against the Stealer of Children?"

"Come on!" yelled Balor, running directly for the Wilderness following the footprints of the Stealer of Brood.

Chinggis could only groan. "He's going to get us all killed." Ekoto alone followed and Pebatjma, one of the girls Brigid had been playing with, followed as well.

So it was that Balor, Ekoto and Pebatjma went into the Wilderness to rescue Brigid.


	3. Upon a Wilderness Course

**Welcome back everyone. I would like to inform that a "Voltron: Legendary Defender" version of the Evabon are now in creation with the start of my VLD fan fiction "The Evabon Adventure." Check it out. Enjoy and review.**

 **Upon a Wilderness Course**

The sound of drums in the distance entered the ears of the children. Then came the sounds of wild beasts. Balor knelt down looking at one of the footprints where the trail just vanished.

"Now where, Balor?" asked Ekoto. "The footprints have vanished."

"Okay, lets see here…" Balor tried to remember what Gard had taught him. "It looks like the Stealer of Brood has jumped."

Pebatjma looked upwards. She saw trees, looking rather sinister this night. "Through the trees?" she asked. Her golden eyes stared at the nearest tree. "If that is so then the Stealer of Brood must have had to hold Brigid in one arm while grabbing onto a branch."

"Or a vine." Said Balor, pointing to a nearby vine.

"Then the Stealer of Brood know we are on her trail." Commented Ekoto. A sound them came to their ears. Ekoto turned and looked back into the darkness while the moonlight shined down on them. "I think she has dropped Brigid somewhere and now is coming back for us!"

What came out of the darkness was not the Stealer of Brood. This one was a male, a foot taller and far nimbler in appearance. He had dark hair and perambulated erect. His front was even and gorilla-like and from his throat came strange calls. This was a bloodthirsty beast called "The One with the Disfigured Jaw" and indeed the jaw was disfigured. He was considered a curse. He did not attack immediately instead he stood there staring at them.

"What do we do?" whispered Pebatjma, clutching her braid in terror.

"Jump for the trees! Go in the direction the Stealer of Brood has!" whispered Balor.

"Steady, you two." Whispered Ekoto. "Bluff him!" Then the One with the Disfigured Jaw charged! "Okay, make for the trees!"


	4. Through the Trees

**Welcome back everyone. With this chapter I bring back Gruadh. Enjoy and review.**

 **Through the Trees**

Flying through the trees be it by swinging from branch to branch or from vine to vine, Balor fled from the One with the Disfigured Jaw. The Stealer of Brood had kidnapped Brigid and now the One with the Disfigured Jaw wanted to attack him. This was just great and Balor was someone who knew what sarcasm was.

The feeling of fear raced through Balor as the One with the Disfigured Jaw got ever closer and closer. As the One with the Disfigured Jaw was almost upon him, a great tree branch came flying through the air. It struck the One with the Disfigured Jaw right in the face, sending him down to the ground.

Holding onto a vine, Balor looked around. He then saw Gruadh the Komrev. Some would call her a beast but to Balor Gruadh was like his mother. Standing upon an enormous tree limb she looked at her Evabon son with protective eyes, then turned her gaze down to the broken form of the One with the Disfigured Jaw and snarled. Although Gruadh was quite gentle, she was capable of aggression and was also very brave.

Swinging over to her, Balor gave his Komrev mother a hug. This was something that Gruadh reciprocated by wrapping one of her long arms around the young boy.

No words were needed to pass between the two even if Balor could speak the language of beasts. Gruadh had seen the Stealer of Brood carrying away the captive Brigid.

Placing Balor on her back, Gruadh was about to swing through the trees when Balor spoke.

"Wait! My friends Ekoto and Pebatjma! We must find them!"

"No need for that!" This new voice caused Gruadh to turn while Balor was still on her back. To Balor the owner of this voice, Ekoto who had along with him Pebatjma, was a friend. To Gruadh however they were complete strangers.

Gruadh merely looked at the boy and girl with her head cocked to one side.

"They are friends." Said Balor.

Gruadh nodded and gestured for Ekoto and Pebatjma to join Balor on her back. She knew where the Stealer of Brood was going, she would bring them to Brigid.


	5. Brigid Rescued

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Brigid Rescued**

An archaic barrow was where the Stealer of Brood had taken Brigid. The barrow was not that impressive. The owner had circulated legends about their barrow being cursed to prevent grave robbing. It did not work. It had been raided by people who had been alive when the owner died… This barrow was still mostly unexplored, the site was contaminated with makkari and included a massive model of the owner's empire with the waterways made of liquid makkari. The most explored part had an army of clay soldiers that was protected by still functioning traps. The barrow had been built by seven hundred thousand, making the work camp the biggest city of Third Earth at the time.

The Stealer of Brood sensed the makkari and so stayed well away from it. Some children would wander however did not and so they died.

Brigid however was too frightened to wonder. She merely stayed curled up in the corner she had been placed in. In the dim light she could see the bodies of children past.

Looking up in horror as the Stealer of Brood growled and raised a shaggy fist in threat, Brigid trembled. This was something out of a nightmare.

Then a new figure came in and beat the Stealer of Brood to unconsciousness. When Brigid realized it was Gruadh and that Balor, Ekoto and Pebatjma had were there as well, she smiled.

Running over to Balor, Brigid hugged her arranged fiancé and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Ekoto was quick to interrupt this happy reunion.

"Shouldn't we get out of here before the Stealer of Brood wakes up?" he asked.


	6. The Olitiau

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **The Olitiau**

After Brigid was rescued, things did not go smoothly then. Indeed Balor had thought they would just rescue Brigid and then they could go home.

Then the Olitiau arrived on the scene. They were creatures that Balor had encountered before: bat-like with black-fur, clawed feet and fifteen-foot wingspans they stood at a height of five feet and had eerie feminine features. They were a thin and bony race with pale skin and indigo eyes.

Olitiau were common, there was hardly anything out of the ordinary when it came to seeing them. It may have been stuck in the gray area between common and uncommon but they were not exactly the kind of creatures to be seen only once a year.

How many was there? In that darkness who could tell? All that the children and Gruadh knew was that they were outnumbered.

The children were scattered as Gruadh fought some of the Olitiau. Balor and Brigid at least remained together but where Ekoto and Pebatjma ended up they had no idea.


	7. The Gabaly

**Welcome back everyone. With the Stealer of Brood out of the way, an antagonist for the second half is needed. Enter the Gabaly. Enjoy and review.**

 **The Gabaly**

The Olitiau may have ruled the skies but they did not rule the earth. Metaphorically speaking of course. While the Olitiau ruled the skies in the Wilderness, there was one who ruled the earth.

A creature known as the Gabaly was this ruler. It was a creature with a large dog-like head with small straight ears, a wide chest and a large mouth, which exposed very large teeth. Its fur was bright red but the back was streaked with black. While the Olitiau would ultimately disperse when they realized their attempts were futile, the Gabaly would not stop until it had gotten its prey.

The children had escaped the Olitiau. The Olitiau had been crippled by Gruadh. Gruadh had found the children.

The Gabaly then appeared on the scene, however due to having been more well known in the farmlands of Thundera, the children did not know what the Gabaly was.

It stood there growling and walking from moonlight to shadow, circling them. As each paw touched the ground Gruadh started to become tense as she anticipated the Gabaly's next move.

The Gabaly's eyes, red as can be, were fixed on Gruadh. Whatever the Gabaly was, it was anything but stupid. It knew that Gruadh would have to be removed from the equation before it could ever get to the children. The Gabaly was not even hungry, it had merely been given a sadistic streak when whatever divine being created it had created it.

Gruadh bared her fangs as she waited for the Gabaly to strike. The Gabaly merely continued to growl as the fur on its back started to stand on end the moment it stopped circling Gruadh and the children.


	8. Eyes and Teeth

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Eyes and Teeth**

The Gabaly's eyes ultimately left Gruadh. Its eyes were scanning the children, ultimately following on Brigid, the girl who stood behind two boys and another girl, a frightened look on her face. The Gabaly's eyes stayed on Brigid, its black eyes meeting her red eyes. With its fur standing on end and teeth barred, the Gabaly's eyes that lacked both visible pupil and iris were staring into Brigid's.

Ultimately, Brigid walked forward. One could call it what they wanted: spell, incantation, charm, conjuration or formula. Whatever they chose to call it, the fact was Brigid was under one.

"Brigid?" Brigid didn't even hear Balor. She only heard a strange ringing sound the closer she got to the Gabaly.

The Gabaly was only a few feet away but each little footstep of Brigid was like a single footstep in a mile long journey. The Gabaly's eyes and teeth ever seemed closer to Brigid but at the same time they seemed ever farther.

It was Balor throwing a rock into the Gabaly's left eye that ultimately released Brigid from the spell. As the Gabaly let out a cry of pain, Brigid shook her head and seeing how close she was to the monster began to run back to Gruadh and the others but the moment she began to run the Gabaly leapt forward.

Gruadh leapt forward as well and while she did briefly fight the Gabaly, she was ultimately brought down and would have been killed if the Gabaly were not worried about losing its prey. Thus did the Gabaly pursue the children as they ran to Wilusa.

The Gabaly was fast even when crippled. With an injury to its right hind leg, the Gabaly was slowed down but not by much. It was when Brigid tripped that the children realized the Gabaly was nearly upon them.


	9. The Pike

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **The Pike**

What Brigid had tripped over was a pike, an infantry weapon with a pointed iron head on a long wooden shaft. Who could say how long it had lied there on the ground? Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries millennia? All that mattered was it was there. Balor ran over to it and held it aloft. Quickly Brigid, Ekoto and Pebatjma held onto it as well.

And then the Gabaly jumped forward the moment they all grabbed the pike.

To say that the Gabaly died immediately the moment the pike entered its chest would be untrue. The pike did go through the Gabaly but the Gabaly did not fall down and die, it merely started to walk forward, the pike going further into its body and beginning to come out of the back. With a snarling face did the monster step closer and closer, the fangs coming ever closer to Balor's face.

Then flying from the air came an axe. Then the Gabaly's head fell to the ground.

The children all let go of the pike and the Gabaly's body toppled over, its transparent blood flowing. They then turned and saw Gard, Zuvowang and Dalv all standing together.

"Alright, who wants to explain what happened exactly?" asked Gard.

"The Stealer of Brood stole me." Replied Brigid.

"Is that all?" asked Zuvowang. "Both me and Gard have stories of having to save someone from the Stealer of Brood. I don't recall her ever having this beast though."

"Must be a recent acquirement." Suggested Dalv. Zuvowang nodded in agreement.

Due to the Gabaly having been better known in the farmlands of Thundera, Gard and the rest had absolutely no idea what the Gabaly was. They merely thought it was something that belonged to the Stealer of Brood.

And then Balor remembered something. "Gruadh!" He started to run to check on Gruadh until Gard placed a hand on his shoulder.

"All of you go back to Wilusa. I will check on her."


	10. Five Years Later

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Five Years Later**

The skeleton of the Gabaly was covered by vegetation but still there five years later. Now thirteen years old, Balor sat there looking at the skeleton. He had never seen anything like it then and he had never seen anything like it since. He had described the thing to Kat and Kit and they called it "the Gabaly."

"My mom always said there was two of them." Those were the words Balor had heard from Kat. That only caused Balor to wonder what that had meant. Mates? Siblings? Parent and offspring? If they were mates then which had been killed? Was it the male or the female? If they were parent and offspring then which had been killed? The parent or the offspring? When Balor had asked what the Gabaly was he had gotten two different answers. Kat's was "Just a mutant tolac."

"A cat that had wore a belt made of tolac skin." Answered Kit.

Two answers given five years ago and still it was on Balor's mind. Apparently their father believed the Gabaly to have been some form of divine punishment bringing it to a total of three. Yet the pantheon of the Cats was not the pantheon of the Evabon and their Gods were thus different from the Evabon's Spirits.

Gruadh had survived the whole ordeal but still the thought of if the Gabaly had killed her was something that had never left Balor. Five years since and he had never left a settlement whenever Summer's End occurred.

"Still wondering about that thing?" Balor turned and saw Brigid walking towards him. She had grown as well, now wearing a dress but otherwise her attire had remained the same with her wearing a skirt and a top that exposed her midriff beneath the dress. The veil was still there too she swore she wore that until Kernunnos ever returned or to the day that she died and so she kept that oath.

Balor nodded his head. He did wonder about the Gabaly.

"Here lay the bones of one but where is the other?" he asked.

Brigid shrugged and sat next to him. "Who knows? Maybe we should wait until the other shows up."

"And until then?" asked Balor.

"We keep ourselves occupied." Replied Brigid.

 **The End**


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